Electrical flat cables are known and used in a variety of applications and configurations. Representative of the prior art flat cables are those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,113,349 to Stiles and U.S. Pat. No. 4,176,910 to Noethe. Noethe teaches a flat optical fiber cable comprised of a plurality of optical fibers enveloped within a soft cast synthetic resin which is chemically cured at a relatively low temperature. Of perhaps greater interest, U.S. Pat. No. 4,113,349 to Stiles discloses an optical fiber cable comprising one or more core optical fibers each having a cured silicone rubber coating and an outer fiber-reinforced set resin shell surrounding the core of one or more rubber coated optical fibers.
Although flat optical fiber cables of various constructions and configurations are known, it is believed that this particular type of cable generally suffers from a deficiency in mechanical strength which results in limitations to its application. Particularly, it is believed that flat optical fiber cables as presently known are primarily limited to indoor applications and not necessarily suitable to survive the rigors of outdoor cable installation in duct, buried and aerial environments.